Securing, or fastening, devices for ropes and the like are well known. In addition, such devices have been heretofore known to include releasable features. Such devices have not, however, been relatively simple, dependable in both operation and use, capable of easy installation, readily releasable, and/or dependably locked when in the closed position securing the positioning of the rope.
With respect to prior art, the patents to Hirsch (U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,603), Hirschhorn (U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,042), Grayson (U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,474) and Hutchison et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,605) show rope locking devices that depend upon misaligned aperture clamps, while the patents to Stafford (U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,155) and Crowe (U.S. Pat. No. 722,949) show devices with camtype locking means.